Earbuds go by many different names, including earphones, in-ear headphones, in-ear monitors or simply buds. They also come in all shapes and sizes and can be both wired or wireless, with some variations. Probably the most widely known (and worn) earbuds are the AirPods, which Apple launched in 2016.
Compared to over-ear and on-ear headphones, they offer a more compact, lightweight design that’s easier to set up and store. Earbuds are often cheaper too (usually), and have better stability. Being small does have its disadvantages - namely with sound quality, which can’t match wired headphones - but every music lover should own at least one pair all the same.
Latest about Earbuds & Airpods
iOS 26 will soon give your AirPods a smart sleep trick – and Beats headphones could join the pajama party
It seems as though a new Pause Media When Falling Asleep option is coming to Beats devices as well as AirPods.
JLab Epic Open Sport review: 'just fine' open-ears that play well but fail to serve up an ace
In a super-busy market, they're hard to recommend
AirPods Pro 3: all the latest rumors and leaks, plus everything else we know
Updated Apple's third-generation Pro AirPods aren't here, but the rumor mill is turning – and with big hints in iOS 26 and Apple's codebase, we could be gearing up for a September 2025 release.
I’m an open earbuds skeptic, but this great-sounding set totally won me over – here’s why
I’m not usually a fan of open earbuds, but this set really wowed me with impressive audio and a great fit.
Full Galaxy Buds Core specs revealed, and Samsung’s finally fixed our main issue with the Buds FE
Comprehensive Galaxy Buds Core specs have been published on Samsung’s UAE site, showing cheaper-than-ever pricing, plus one good upgrade.
Nothing Ear (a) have been my top budget earbuds for over a year now: here’s why
I don't want to tell you what to do, but did I consider a 'Forget Prime Day, this is the only earbuds deal you need!' headline? Oh, I absolutely did…
Cambridge Audio's affordable earbuds deliver lossless and LDAC through Class AB amps
Some of my favorite ANC earbuds are back with a stem design and a serious audio upgrade
Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: these earbuds are even crazier about music – in the best way
In which Cambridge Audio attempts to move the dial on its earbuds lineup from ‘very good’ to ‘truly great’... and succeeds with gusto.
